Description
Agricola Punica was founded in 2002 as a collaboration in southwestern Sardinia, created to show the potential of the island’s warm, coastal terroir for producing distinctive wines, especially focusing on indigenous grape varietals. The project brought together Cantina di Santadi president Antonello Pilloni, the late legendary Tuscan enologist Giacomo Tachis, and partners connected to Tenuta San Guido, and it quickly established its identity on the Barrua and Narcao estates in Sulcis. Today, the winery is known for crafting characterful Sardinian wines that blend local grape varieties with a polished, modern sensibility.
The 2024 Samas Vermentino Isola dei Nuraghi is a crisp, well-balanced white from Sardinia that reflects both the region’s sun and its coastal freshness. Named for the Punic or Phoenician god of the sun, it is crafted from 80% Vermentino and 20% Chardonnay grown in calcareous and sandy soils, hand-harvested at dawn to preserve aromas, then whole-cluster pressed in a cold inert atmosphere to avoid oxidation. The must was fermented with selected yeasts at controlled temperature in stainless steel for 40 days, with continuous stirring and 2.5 months on the lees, before the wine was blended. Aged for three months in small concrete vats, and bottled without filtration or clarification. It opens with lively notes of tropical fruit, citrus, and sage. The palate is crisp and well-balanced, with a mineral-driven finish that lingers pleasantly and calls for grilled seafood or light pasta dishes.
